STOCKTON – Six Stockton firefighters were rushed to a hospital today after an explosion at a Stockton co-generation plant at the Port of Stockton.

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By The Record

recordnet.com

By The Record

Posted Sep. 2, 2008 at 11:05 AM

By The Record
Posted Sep. 2, 2008 at 11:05 AM

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STOCKTON – Six Stockton firefighters were rushed to a hospital today after an explosion at a Stockton co-generation plant at the Port of Stockton.

The most seriously of those hurt suffered a knee injury and all six were able to walk away from the blast site at FPL Energy's POSDEF facility in the 2500 block of West Washington Street. Five of the firefighters were treated and released from San Joaquin General Hospital before noon and the sixth, the 37-year-old firefighter with a twisted knee, was expected to be released by early afternoon, Stockton Fire Division Chief Paul Willette said.

The firefighters were called to the facility shortly after 9 a.m. to a report of smoke coming from a silo.

Responding firefighters were delayed by railroad cars at a railroad crossing and had to find a different route to the plant. Once there, firefighters were again stymied when they learned the fire hydrant closest to the building was out of service. Firefighters had to go to the next closest firefight hydrant and had to relay pump the water to firefighters.

Five firefighters were just inside the building and one just outside the building on stairs when the explosion occurred. The firefighter on the stairs was the firefighter who suffered the worst of the injuries.

Firefighters purposely held in reserve should firefighters need assistance then moved in to help the firefighters from the building. Second and third alarms were called, with the third alarm canceled shortly afterward. The fire was controlled shortly before 10 a.m.

Read Wednesday's Record for more on this story by Recordnet.com staff writer Keith Michaud.